waggenek



June 2,- 1925.- 1,540,148

P. N. WAGGENER IDENTIFYING APPARATUS Filed Nav. 23. 1923 Pawllv mggene;

attorwmri Patented .l une i 2, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

PAULy 1v. WAGG'ENER, or MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

IDENTIFYING APPARATUS.

' Application filed November 23, 1923. Serial No. 676,550.

To all whom @'25 lmay concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL N. V/ioenivnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Identifying Apparatus, of which the following is aV specification. y

This invention relates to certain new and useful in'iprovements in apparatus designed for use in connect-ion with linger print identication of bank checks and other documents, such as money orders, bills of sale, birth certificates, wills, and other legal instruments, and particularly that kind of :identification produced by the impression upon the article to be i dentilied of a portion of the skin of the proper party. The impression is usually produced by covering with ink, or other suitable substance, a portion of the skin of the thumb or lingers of the proper party, and having him then press his thumb or fingers upon the paper or article to be identified.4 It is well known that the ridges of the skin upon a persons lingers and thumbare particularly individual and distinctive so that such an impression is absolutely reliable.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore, is to produce an apparatus convenient for use in taking such finger prints. Y

Another object of my invention isto so construct my device that it will have the advantages of great convenience for the purpose desired, substantial durability and yet marked simplicity as a whole and in respect of each of its component parts, so that its manufacture is economically facilitated both as regards the production of the parts and their assembly.

lith these and other objects in view which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements comprising my invention, may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, withoutdeparting from the-spirit and scope of the vappended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for oarryingthe same into practical effect without limiting the in'iprovenients in their useful applications to the particular constructions, which for the purpose of explanation have been made the subject of illustration.

ln the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of myV device, partly in section;

Y Fig. 2 is a plan view of a modified form of my devi-ce, partly in section;

Fig. 3 isa crossV section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The numeral 5 represents the base of inv device, the same consisting of metal or wood, preferably the former, provided with rubber buttons or tips 6 on its under side just below each of its corners 7 which have been conveniently rounded olf.

Mounted upon the base 5 are two metallic plates or strips 8, preferably made integral with a cross plate 9 which is fastened to the base by screws 11, or in any other suitable manner to secure the base and plate together by means of a spring hingelQ, a portion of the base being cut away at 13, within which part of the spring rests, as seen in Figure 3. One end of the coil spring lil rests upon the cross plate 9, as more clearly seenin Figure 1. Each of the plates 8, as seen in Fig` ure 1, has its end terminating in rounded corners.

In the modified form shown in Figure 2, I mount upon the base plate 2 separate metal lic plates 16, each of whose` ends are likewise rounded off, as shown in that figure, and secured at their other endsk 17 in any suitable manner, as by screws 18, the farther ends 19 of which areV free.

Near the other end of the base is securely held by screws 21, or otherwise, a container' 22, to be filled up to the inwardly extending beveled edge 23 of the front wall 2i thereof with a pad of any suitable kind of ink with which the linger or thumb applied may be covered.

The rear edge 25 of the container is provided with a hinge 26 to securely hold in place the top Q7, which in the instant case consists of a solid piece of wood 28, intend'- ed to be let down upon the box and cover its contents that it may be kept free from dust, etc.

The operation of my device is as follows:

Then a person desires to identify for instance a check, the latter is slipped CII under the metallic .arms or strips, the pressure from which holds the check or other document in place. While so held, the cover has been lifted and the person then presses the'ballof a inger or fingers or thumb upon the ink pad, and having covered the same with ink,rpresses it upon the check or the document desired to be identified, thereby leavingthe impression of the ridges oft' the skin ohis thumb or linger upon the document. l

lt is to be noted that the device is of a portable size and-provided with nubbertips G so that it may be readily- Aand easily carried from place toplace in alroom andset down anywhere.without danger'oil injury. Likewise it may becarried iromplace to 'l place and used in the signing o ftestimony,

etc.

lll-hile VI have shownr and `described the preferred enfibodunent off my invention, vl wish it to be understcnd that l do not con- =tine myself to Athe precise details voif'construction herein set forth byvway or" illustration, as 1t is apparent i-hat'niany.changes and variations may be made therein, by-

those skilled in the art, without departing` l'from the spirit of the invention, or` exceeding thel scope of the appended claims.`

I claim i 1. Inav ortable, {inc-er: n'int device the combination with a substantially fiat base, anda' container tor markinggmaterial =attached: theretofand substantially in the same;

nation with a.L substantially flat base, a coen-v talner for marking materialn attached thereto and substantially in the same planeV therewith, and a cover for the container, of; means also attached to the base adapted to hold thecarticle to bemmarked byiingei-print impression. l

3. In a portable finger print device, the combination with a `substantially Hat base, an'ink container-attached thereto and substantiallyinthe same plane therewith, of a strip also attached to the base adapted to hold thevarticle tox Ibemarked byinger print impression.

4. In a portable;ingeriprint device,the combination with faxsubstantially lathbase, anink containerl attached thereto and sub.- stantially in the' sanie-y plane. tl-ierewith, eta metallic trip,I valso Fatt-ached to f the base adapted to, h'ol'dtl-re article-.to be marked by tingen print i impression.

5. ln a portable finger print device, the combination wthla substantially flat base,

an :ink container attached .thereto and substantially. inj the y:saine plagne therewith, and

a cover therefor, of Aspringt; clampsv attached to the base` adaptedto holtlitho -artiele tobe marked by ingcr printimpression.

In -a portable linger'print device-,the combination with substantially fiat base, a` container' .for marking i material attached thereto and substantially ilrthesalne planev therewith w'liiose Ltr-ont Wall is `beveledin-y wardly towards, thgewinarkigng -material, a correr for-said container, of.a,-stripal1se attached the basetok hold the articlefto be marked by linger print impression.

7. In a'portablge finger"print-device, the combination with a substantially ifiat portable f base provided-f on. i its under side ,with rubberf tipsiupon; which it= rests, 'and @a container for markingv -materialattached to thebaseandysubstantiallyin the sanne .plane therewith,=ot means. also attached-1o the base adapted. toholdyfthe article-to kit-marked byinger print impression.

In -testimonyiwhereofl ra-iix mysignature.

.PAUL N. VVAGGENER., 

